Start of my Metro Hybrid Project

Do It Yourself (DIY)
1

Hi. I am a regular over at ecomodder but for this project I figure I better go to the forum that deals with what I am building.

I recently built a Metro XFi Convertible with a custom frame and pretty much totally custom built everything. It is getting great mileage as it is but I always want better. About the only thing that will give it to me is to add electric drive. So I have been reading and thinking about it and what I want out of it is pretty simple hopefully. I am keeping the gas engine and going to attach a sprocket to the drivers side CV axle shaft. I will mount the motor somewhere under the hood. If I can get it to drive for 5 minutes at up to 35mph I will consider it a success. I would like more than that if possible but that is my baseline. There is pretty much no limit to what can be modified on the car so even if I need to move the firewall to make room that is only a minor job as it is no longer structural.

So far my plans are an Etek PMAC motor and a Kelly Controllers KBL72301 It has a 300A Max, 150A continuous current rating and can handle 72V. I figure 6 AGM-31 batteries seems to be good batteries for the price. All of these items are still up for debate so I am not stuck with using anything right now and am willing to change it all.

So far the only thing I have done is to print out the motor mounting bracket to proper size and use that to measure and see where everything fits.

An Etek will fit in there with plenty of room with only moving a few things around and moving the radiator a few inches to the left. I think I can go up to maybe a 36 tooth sprocket on the axle without clearance problems. I could go bigger I would just have to cut and move a few frame parts if that turns out to be a problem.

Anyone got any advice or recommendations before I start throwing money at this project?

2

Hi,
The best advice I can give you is to visit www.diyelectriccar.com and read up on the wiki they have their, I’m not knocking this forum at all, but it is pretty quiet, the other forum is very, very active :slight_smile:

Best regards

Paul

3

[QUOTE=Coyote X;5986]
Anyone got any advice or recommendations before I start throwing money at this project?[/QUOTE]

So it sounds like this will really be an Electrical Assist motor system you’re planning.

It also sounds like you plan on having this sprocket right on the axle itself.
If that’s the case - you need to make sure that the electric motor can float up/down and fore/aft (a little) as the axle itself is not stationary. It moves up and down as the car hits bumps and fore/aft (a little) as the car turns…

I would suggest that instead of mounting the sprocket to the axle that you mount a sprocket to the inner CV joint - then chain drive to a Jack-Shaft mounted close to the firewall. From the other end of that Jack-Shaft you can put the 3rd sprocket where you need it to be and then connect your chain to the 4th sprocket on the electric motor.

Now - all that said - the engine moves too. That will mean that you’ll need to take all compliant motor mounts out and make them solid mounts. At the very least you’ll need to make a solid torque link from the engine to the frame or some other stationary part of the car.

Good luck and let us know how your progress is!

4

I hope you can figure how to keep the motor and transaxel from wobbling to far, is there a way to mount the motor to stay in alignment with the transaxel or are you going to try and tension support for the chain drive!:rolleyes: